If you sell your jewelry online, have a website showcasing the types of jewelry you offer, or have your jewelry on any form of social media, there’s a really good chance you’ve been frustrated at some point by photographing your jewelry. It can be very challenging to get everything lined up correctly to get a good shot, but there are a few things you can do to help get consistently good product photos.
1. Lighting. Lots and lots of light! Using natural light is always preferable, but we know this isn’t always possible. If you’re stuck with using unnatural light (such as your camera flash), consider using a flash diffuser to help diffuse the light and create a more evenly-lit product. (You can even create your own by placing a white plastic bag over your flash.)
2. Background. If you’re wanting an all-white background, look into building a lightbox with an infinity curve. There are many tutorials online for this. However, if you’re wanting to have a more natural look or shoot with a background that matches the style of your jewelry, just remember to use a background that doesn’t take attention away from your jewelry. Check out this great post at the Jewelry Making Journal for some fun tips!
3. Tripod & Timer. Using a tripod will make your photo sessions much easier, as it’ll keep the camera from moving at all while you’re taking close-up photos (close-ups increase the chances of there being motion blur). Setting the camera’s timer will maximize the effect you get from a tripod and keep it from moving at all while taking the photo.
4. Camera Settings. You know the little flower picture ┬áon your camera’s settings? This is the macro setting, and can help you take even better close-up photos of your jewelry. ┬áIt will narrow your depth of field, which will make your jewelry stand out against the background and really draw the eye to it.
5. ┬áEditing. There are a lot of photo editing programs available that don’t take an expert to use them! Editing your photos can make a world of difference in how they look. Minor things such as cropping and light adjustment can take an ok picture and turn it into a great picture. Give iPiccy or PIXLR a try!
Finally, have fun taking your photos! This is your opportunity to show potential customers your sense of style and point of view. Think of product photography as a way to tell a story with your jewelry.
(Cover photo┬áImage courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net. Post photo ┬® 2014 Gems on Display.)